Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Willis, with Demi Moore, at the NYSE
The Associated Press

Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Willis: The pictures are still big, but the action stars got old.

Featured Topic | Posted 32 weeks 1 day ago

From Arnold to Shia: Where have all the action heroes gone?

Instead of dashing, swashbuckling heroes who can beat up and outshoot any bad guys who come their way, the new breed of action star is more likely to be skinny, awkward and studious-looking.

"Now the geek is god in Hollywood," declares the veteran publicist and Oscar campaigner Tony Angellotti. "Every generation redefines its heroes and the heroes of today are slight of stature and geeky looking... Stars like Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis were men; these are boys, and they're appealing to younger audiences."

Not just men -- women, too. The action movie genre has changed over the past 10 years. But for the better? Do Americans need manly archetypes in popular culture? Is the geeky hero really heroic? Is it a good thing to exchange brawn and cunning for brains and a hip sensibility? 

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Ben likes: Pretty young action heroes all in a row

Libertas

Instead of dashing, swashbuckling heroes who can beat up and outshoot any bad guys who come their way, the new breed of action star is more likely to be skinny, awkward and studious-looking.

The problem with this new breed is that you can’t build a film around them. Rather, what plants butts in seats is the logline, gimmick, car, effects, etc… Once upon a time, you went to see a Schwarzenegger film. You went to see an Eastwood film. You went to see a Mel Gibson movie. No more. Producers probably love this sea-change because it keeps them from having to deal with stars throwing their weight around. Emile Hirsch giving you a hard time?

No problem. We got 10 more who look just like him.

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Joel likes: Violent femmes

Stephanie Mencimer/Washington Monthly

The enormous popularity of women as film enforcers has stirred much debate over what these films say about women, feminism, Hollywood, and violence, and whether it's progress or exploitation. But no one has answered a more interesting question: What does this say about men? After all, none of the big female hits could have achieved its staggering popularity without nabbing a significant male audience, those same guys who were once the primary consumers of Die Hard, First Blood, and Commando. If men once lived vicariously through the escapades of John Rambo and Col. Matrix -- in movies where women were mainly crime victims or in need of rescue -- what does it mean when they love watching Lara Croft kick some bad-boy butt? It's a pretty sharp turn from misogyny to masochism.

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